Blackwater: Fated Mates Book 1: Fate by Hannah McBride

Blackwater: Fated Mates Book 1

I can't stop running.

Shattered after a horrific ordeal, I have no choice but to keep moving.

Until one fateful day when another wolf chases me down.

Suddenly I'm frozen by the realization that maybe I wasn't running away from my past.

Maybe I was running into my FATE.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/262607130-fate

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Back into the Blackwater Pack world! This is Sierra’s story. Which first off, this story was actually first published in the Devour anthology. Just probably enhanced just a bit. So while I actually read this before, it was nice to come back to it again. Overall, it was nice to revisit this story. Sierra definitely was no one’s favorite in the series, but the girl has been through enough after everything that has gone down. It was nice to see her find her mate and find where she was supposed to be after feeling like she was never in the right place. And as for Kace, he needed her too. He needed to find his mate after everything he has been through in his life. I would love to see more from them hopefully in other stories. This was just a really beautiful beginning for the two of them. And it will be fun to see them in hopefully future books to see how they grow together. 

Bound and Unbound by Ali Hazelwood

 

New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood’s intoxicating paranormal romance novella duology—together for the first time in print and ebook!

Bound

A reluctant con artist and a professor with too many secrets are bound by an arcane text—in more ways than one.

Veronica “Vero” Mercer grew up with grifters for parents, and she knows her way around a con. When grad school bills pile up and her friends are in trouble, she turns her art history skills into a forgery side hustle.

It’s supposed to be a short term deal, but her work draws the attention of Dr. Viktor Ashworth, a reserved, very British professor. Instead of turning her in, Ashworth kidnaps her—politely—and makes an unusual offer: forge a mysterious ancient manuscript for him.

Soon Vero finds herself spending long nights with Viktor, bent over rare vellum samples and obscure inks. But as the con grows riskier, Vero has to wonder: what does Viktor really want, and why can’t she stay away?

Unbound

A five-thousand-year-old woman who has outlived empires. A doctor who has spent his life fighting death. They fates collide in a blood game of vengeance.

Lilit of Nineveh has spent millennia in control. As a powerful revenant, she enforces one rule above all: protect mortals. Disciplined and focused, she has never made the same mistake twice, and she has learned that attachments can only lead to ruin.

Enter Roman Martin. An overworked and relentlessly kind ER physician, he is the one mortal Lilit cannot quit. Any relationship between them is against everything Lilit has fought for. Still, she keeps coming back to him.

Until someone starts hunting Lilit, and Roman is caught in the crossfire. When everything comes crashing down, Lilit must choose between the world she has sworn to protect and the man she was never meant to love.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/252195647-bound-and-unbound

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

What a great duology of novellas! First off, be sure to read Bound before you read Unbound. That way you are reading it in order and don’t get any spoilers. But it’s another paranormal world from Ali Hazelwood and I really loved it! 

So starting off with Bound. Vero has found herself in the business of forgery. She didn’t exactly plan to go into that business, but between her graduate degree and the shop she works for needing a little help, she finds using her skills to help out and keep herself in school is the best option. That is, until she is “kidnapped” and asked to use her skills to make a copy of a very ancient manuscript. She should say no. Viktor and his group are sending signals that clearly say danger. But between the money and the curiosity that gets her when she starts this project? It’s hopeless. And then there is Viktor. The more they spend time together, she ends up doing the one thing she never thought she could do. Falling in love never seemed like it was meant for her, but he changes all the rules. Even when she learns his secrets. This novella was so great. I loved Vero. She was hysterical. You just never knew what was gonna come out of her mouth. She definitely kept Viktor on his toes. 

Then there is Unbound. Well, after you read Bound you realize just what kind of supernatural beings are out there. For Lilit, she has been around for a very, very long time. And she never could have imagined falling so deeply in love with a mortal. For ten years, she has had a relationship with Roman where she couldn’t tell him the truth, she kept him at arms’ length the best she could, and he accepted what she could give him. She loves him. And is convinced she can’t have him. But when he is in danger and she is attacked, the truth spills out along with it. And that may be the thing that finally gets her that happy ending she has denied herself for so long. I loved these two as well! 

Overall, loved these stories! Get ready for supernatural, some mystery, and some great romances!

A Court of Thorns and Roses Book 6: A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses Book 6

What was broken will be remade.

Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.

The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.

To make matters worse, those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable.

But to defeat Koschei's creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances. To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31050358-a-court-of-splintered-harmony

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

We are finally back! It’s been a long time since we have been back in this world and the time has finally arrived. And this is just part one of this next chapter in this series. Four parts, three books. And if this was just part one, I cannot wait to see what happens next after this book. That was definitely one way to get back into this series. First off, if you aren’t caught up to this series, do so. And if you haven’t read Crescent City books, you are gonna want to in order to full understand it all. So, where does this story start? Well, shortly after the Inner Circle are greeted with a certain otherworldly guest. Everyone is still pretty on edge after that, especially toward one another. But for what is going on with the rest of the world? Well, the Night Court doesn’t like the idea of the other continent taking over the human lands. They want peace, even if it isn’t on their own land specifically. They just can’t stand back and do nothing. Especially when they learn that the Fae overseas may be making alliances with Koschei. Because making a bargain with a death god will only end badly. For everyone. And what happens if Koschei breaks free and heads their way? So how can they help? Well, first they need to make some alliances within Prythian as well as those who live off their own continent. But that is challenging within itself. From this story, we learn a lot of bad is coming and that everyone is going to have their own paths when it comes to dealing with it. 

I really don’t want to spoil anything big. But here is what I can say. We get some fun and happy moments as well as lots of drama. Because oof. There is quite a bit of that. But I have to say, happy to see some of it now in the beginning because that means we get to see everyone grow from it. Everyone is dealing with something right now and they need these upcoming journeys and missions to get them where they need to be. I really loved being back in this world and with these characters. After reading this, I am even more excited for the next book. There is so much story left and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!

Shatter Me: The New Republic Book 3: Escape Me by Tahereh Mafi

 

Shatter Me: The New Republic Book 3

The scorching third volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

James Anderson needs a new plan. He’s ready to make real moves to destroy the looming threats against their world, but no one is taking him seriously. James is tired of being underestimated by his own family. He wants five uninterrupted minutes alone with Rosabelle. He wants to kill Sebastian.

And he’s done waiting for permission.

Rosabelle Wolff needs to stick to the plan. Which means she needs to stay away from James and the dangerous feelings he brings out in her. When she’s near him she loses control, and she’ll need absolute control if she has any hope of convincing Sebastian—and through him, Klaus—that she’s still carrying out the original plan to destroy the rebel regime.

In the meantime, Warner needs to stay out of her business.

Aaron Warner Anderson is trying not to kill Rosabelle. They might be reluctant allies, but that doesn’t mean they get along. Every day is a new kind of hell for Warner. He’s worried about his wife; he’s worried about his world. He can’t decide what to do about James until he understands Rosabelle’s true motives—and when he’s finally delivered the answers he needs, the stakes prove astronomical. All roads lead to heartbreak and destruction, no matter what choice he makes.

Gut-wrenching discoveries, blistering romance, non-stop explosive action, and a world determined to control their thoughts and actions:

When the eyes of the world are upon you, who do you hope is watching?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245901675-escape-me

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Another crazy book in this series! First off, somehow I find myself picking it up and then not putting it down until I’m done. The pacing is so quick, it’s kinda crazy. But I love it. There is so much going on and of course we get a cliffhanger that leaves you craving for the next one! So what happens here? Well, we pick up shortly where the last book left off. Let’s start with James. He is cranky. Because no one will let him see Rosabelle, especially Rosabelle herself. He knows she has a crazy plan. He knows it involves her psycho so-called fiancé, he knows it is gonna lead to her sacrificing herself. But will anyone listen to him? Nope. And he is done with no one listening. For Rosabelle, well James is on point. She knows what she has to do and knows she is the only one who can do it. But getting Warner to listen and agree? Yeah, that’s not happening. Meanwhile she knows they will get hit with something bad any day now. And for Warner, the poor guy is stressed with Ella’s pregnancy and the chaos that seems to be unraveling before him. And he is bout to be humbled when turns out James may have been right. Get ready for lots of chaos in this one! And we finally get that happy moment we’ve all been patiently waiting for when it comes to Warner and Ella! Really enjoying this series so far. I know we have another two books left and I can’t wait to see what is going to happen next.

Forbidden Temptation By Lizzie C. Koz

 

Jacob

This year my life imploded.

Now I’m sleeping in my tiny office inside the university’s football complex because I have nowhere else to go.

Until my quarterback finds me passed out in the makeshift bed I’d made and offers me a room at his cabin.

I’m exhausted. I’m broke. I don’t have anywhere else to turn. And it’s not like there’s anything wrong with a coach staying with a player for a little while, right? Nothing inappropriate. Nothing crossing a line.

Except for the way Hayden looks at me sometimes.

Except for the moment I realize…I might be looking right back.

Hayden

I think I did something really, really stupid.

I invited my QB coach to live with me until he can find a place of his own.

You know, the guy I’ve had a massive crush on since I started playing football here my freshman year. The same man who has ruined every chance I’ve had at a relationship because no one else has ever measured up.

This was the year I was getting over him. But now he’s in my private space, walking around my cabin in nothing but his boxers, showing off that sexy chest tattoo like my little gay heart isn’t being put through torture right now.

I’m doing my best to hide my interest; the last thing I want is to expose my feelings and make things awkward as hell. And, I mean, I’m the star quarterback. I’m an expert at handling pressure on the field.

Apparently, what I can’t handle is living with the man I’ve wanted for years.

Especially after the night everything changes.

In the small town of Twisted Oak Valley, the fall season is holding on, but you’ll be cozy in this multi-author MM novella/short story length shared universe series. Forbidden Temptation is a steamy, emotional, and banter-filled coach x player college football romance where a bi-awakening collides with cabin-bound forced proximity to ignite a desire that is impossible to resist.

This novella is set in the Bridgeport Jetties universe, following Hiding in the Outfield, the story of Jacob’s younger brother, Jackson. It can be read as a standalone, but if you’re curious about his brother’s love story, you can follow Jackson’s own happily-ever-after in Hiding in the Outfield.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245782442-forbidden-temptation

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

Hayden has had a crush on his QB coach since he was a freshman in college. Four years of falling for this guy but knowing that nothing can happen. But when he finds Jake sleeping in his office and has no place to go, Hayden offers his extra bedroom. A mistake? Probably, but he is gonna do it anyway. But now he gets to see Jake all the time and keeping his attraction in check is going to be a major problem. What he doesn’t expect is for Jake to start looking back at him with the same heat in his eyes. Coach and a player can never date, even with Hayden being 22 and Jake 30. So what can really happen? Jake knows he hasn’t always been a good guy, but cutting off his toxic parents after they cut off his brother? He is done. He wants to be better. But falling for his player isn’t exactly a good thing. But Hayden makes him feel something he never has before. More than just the fact that Jake is realizing he is into guys too. But being together is a risky game. Can they find a way? After reading Jake’s brother’s story, I was happy to see Jake getting his own. This novella was a fun read! These two had a great dynamic and we had a some great cameos from Jackson, Jake’s brother, and Frankie, Jackson’s boyfriend. I also loved that these two had a chance to really get to know one another more when they became roommates rather than just coach and player. It gave them a chance to develop real feelings. Great story all around!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lakeshore Medical Book 1: Faking the Fiancé by CG Macington

 

Lakeshore Medical Book 1

He's brilliant, untouchable, and the nurses call him the Dread Prince.

Dr. Arjun Kapoor saves children's lives with surgical precision and the bedside manner of a Victorian ghost. He's also been hiding a devastating crush on his complete Dr. Casey Welling, six-foot-three of golden retriever chaos in dinosaur-print scrubs, who does magic tricks for crying kids and has been hopelessly in love with the Dread Prince for two years.

So when Arjun's mother announces she's arranged his engagement to a perfectly suitable surgeon from London, he panics. He tells her he's already engaged. To Casey. Who has absolutely no idea.

Now they have a two weeks at the Kapoor family estate in Rajasthan, fake dating in front of Arjun's terrifyingly powerful family. There are rules. A leather notebook of pre-approved pet names. One bed. (Obviously.) And a pillow wall that's already threatening to collapse.

The problem? Casey was never pretending. And somewhere between the scheming mother, the gossiping aunties, the dangerously charming rival who won't stop flirting with his fake fiancé, and the slow burn that's quickly becoming an inferno, Arjun is discovering the most terrifying thing a control freak can fall in love for real.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/255115899-faking-the-fianc

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Arjun knows what those at the hospital call him: Dread Prince. To everyone. He is a neuro doctor who is cold and has a terrible bedside manner. He doesn’t mean to be exactly, he is just used to wearing armor at all times. How else will he protect himself? How else can he explain things if he can’t use the medical jargon that is his safety net? But his armor cracks when he gets an unexpected phone call from his mother announcing that when he visits India in a few days, he will also be getting engaged to someone she picked out. In a panic, he tells her that he is already engaged. To who? The man he has been secretly in love with for two years. Casey. The ER children’s doctor who is a golden retriever and a ray of sunshine that everyone adores. And when Arjun comes to him for help to fake a relationship, he says yes. Because Arjun isn’t the only one who has been hiding his feelings. Casey has been in love with Arjun for two years. He sees what everyone else doesn’t when it comes to Arjun. And he would love a chance to show Arjun what they could be together. So he’ll come along and maybe he will finally get a chance to tell Arjun how he feels. And that this is the chance they’ve both been waiting for. Casey has been patient for a long time, he can remain so. So through a scheming mother, gossiping aunties, and many others who are at the ready to test them at every turn, it will take Arjun and Casey working together to make it through. And maybe by the end, they will finally get what the two of them always wanted and rightfully deserve. I loved this book!! It was exactly what I expected having read CG Macington’s St. Jude’s series. It’s funny and sweet and emotional and you are rooting for Arjun and Casey from the beginning. I loved our cast of characters and the humor. I loved watching Arjun and Casey grow together and finally be together after so much pining. I would love to see more from this series!

St. Jude’s Medical Book 4: The Twin Clause by CG Macington

 

St. Jude’s Medical Book 4

Two dedicated doctors. Two terrible role models. One sudden family to build before the paint is even dry on the nursery.

Dr. Preston York can de-escalate a panicked patient using nothing but his signature charm and the name of the man's dog. But getting his husband to discuss their future? That usually ends with one of them sleeping on the couch.

Dr. Luke Silva can run a trauma bay during a Code Blue without breaking a sweat. But ask the stoic attending about his estranged father, and watch him walk right out of the room.

One year into their marriage, the two physicians are finally hitting their professional stride. Life is good, even if they're sharing a Queens walk-up the size of a spice rack with a radiator that clanks in D minor at 3:00 AM. But it’s only four hundred square feet of good life, and something is going to have to give.

Then Preston's father calls with a surprise. In the York family, that word ranges from "delightful" to "federal subpoena" with nothing in between.

Suddenly, their tiny world is overflowing. Mama Ortiz has upgraded from asking about grandchildren to aggressively planting baby brochures in coat pockets. Luke's sister Elena just arrived fresh out of college with a CPA, two suitcases, and a life plan nobody voted on. Catherine York is plotting, and has entered into an unholy alliance with Mama Ortiz. And to top it all off, an unexpected face from Luke's past has reappeared, wearing the exact same grin he had the day he walked out.

Preston reads people for a living. Luke stitches them back together. But as they face impending fatherhood, neither man has a clue what to do. The men who were supposed to teach them how to be dads left them with nothing but a masterclass in what not to do.

They will figure out this sudden family thing. Loudly. Expensively. With at least one fainting incident, and a truly upsetting amount of Tupperware.

The Twin Clause is a hilarious and heartfelt MM medical romance featuring opposite-attract doctors, sudden fatherhood, meddling family, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/255787237-the-twin-clause

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

I seriously love this series. It’s romantic comedy gold and it just keeps getting better! And it keeps going too. Turns out the last book wasn’t the last and there is even another one coming after this one. I’m so excited. So in this story! Luke and Preston have been married a year now and you know exactly what the grandparents want now: kids. Mama Ortiz has been on them for months and her strategy has only gotten better. And then we add in Preston’s mom. These poor guys really had no chance. But before decisions are made, they really will have to make time to talk to one another about it. And once they do, well all they really get to do is sit back and watch how the situation truly gets out of hand in a way only their families can. And of course, I loved every minute of it. Luke and Preston have grown a lot and are still growing as they figure out their way to fatherhood with not the best examples. But together, they can do anything. Mama Ortiz and Catherine have teamed up and oh man, you can just imagine what that brings. Then we meet Elena! Luke’s sister is awesome and I love how her and Catherine just get one another. It’s so fascinating. Just another fun and hilarious story in this series. And I can’t wait to flip it back to Max and Jax for what is coming for them next.